Should video games be viewed as art?

Description

A lot of people view games as a waste of time, something enjoyed only by children and nerdy teenage boys. As an art form, video games are often dismissed as mere toys, unable to compete with “higher” forms of art such as films, music, books, or paintings. There are those who believe that video games can never rise to the level of high art.

Gamers, however, see things differently. They argue that video games already have risen to that level, and that games are a valid form of art like any other.

What is it that supposedly separates video games from other forms of art? Can video games be great art, or are they destined to be forever viewed by non-gamers as a waste of time? What is art, anyway, and why is it so important to gamers that video games be viewed as an art form? I would like to expand on these questions, and discuss the potential of video games as powerful, collaborative, interactive works of art.